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SUNSHINE CHALLED 



A 
WONDERFUL 
LITTLE BOOK 

FOR 



Little Children, Big Children, and Parents 



By ELLA SNOW 

Author of "Joyce -Wilcox,*' "The Voice of Wisdom," and other 
books to be published during the year 1906 




THE SNOW PUBLISHING COMPANY, CHICAGO, ILL. 

p. O. BOX 655 



This Book can be bought of any book dealtr, or it will be sent, postagt- 
prepaid, to any address upon receipt of price, to cents net. 



LIBRARY of C0NGf?E3Sj 

Two Ccpi?G Received 

DEC 16 1905 I 

Copyri£-ht Eniry 
CLASS CX xXc. No, 

/ 3 X^9ii 

COPY B. ^ 






,H5 



Copyrighted. 1905, by Ella Snow 



I- 




ELLA SNOW. 



DEDICATION 



Lovingly dedicated to Donald Sheridan Challed, 
my only grandchild. 

The Author. 

Christmas, igoj. 




SUNSHINE CHALLED. 



"A child's laugh shall flit like sunbeams, 
Among the stern faced and stalwart." 



PREFACE 



In sending this little book out into the world, I 
do so to entertain and instruct both young and old, 
arid to awaken a stronger love between children and 
their parents. 

It is my hope that our little "Sunshine" may 
speak to my readers as he has spoken to me; and 
that his advent into the world may be the cause 
of our lives becoming improved. 

An innocent child may die, but, even though it 
be only an infant in its cradle, it will still live, in 
some way, in the hearts of those who loved it, and 
through these hearts it will play some part in 
fashioning the destinies of mankind. 

I sincerely hope that "Sunshine Challed " shall 
ever be: 

"A name thai shall hallow its spact. 
And be each purer souVs high resting placed 

The Author. 



INDEX 



Sunshine Challed 

PAGE 

Chapter I. To little children everywhere 21 

Chapter II. My little fore-brother's death 25 

Chapter III. My dear mamma's sorrow 37 

Chapter IV. When little Sunshine came - 47 

Chapter V. How to be good -------- 67 



RECITATIONS AND POEMS. 

A mamma's love „ - - - 113 

A little boy's dream ---------- 80 

A very bad case 88 

A boy's valentine ----------- 84 

A story ------- 89 

Better whistle than whine - - - - 117 

Comforting Grandmamma - 114 

Children's time-table 85 

Don't leave us out - ■ : 109 

Don into pants 110 

Grandmamma's angel 115 

His mother's darling 87 

His first recitation _ - - 83 

I wish I were a little star - - - - 81 

I'm very young ---- -- 93 

Laugh a little bit ---_._ 104 

Little Midget ----------- 92 

My mamma's lap -- -^- - - - - -/- - 90 



INDEX- Continued 

PAGE 

My wish -.--_ 116 

Mus'n't touch --- 94 

Naming tlie forget-me-not --------- 122 

Now is the time ---------- 103 

One little act ------ 96 

Papa's letter ----------- 123 

Peddle sunshine ---91 

Play you are sunshine 126 

Saying grace ------------82 

Sunshine - 79 

Soldier-like 99 

Sunshine cake ---- -- 95 

The careful messenger -- 118 

The dead doll 120 

The days (in each month) --- 97 

The little bird 112 

The lightning express ---- -83 

The falling stars 108 

The courageous boy 98 

The guardian angel -- 100 

The baby's letter Ill 

Thank you, God! 101 

Where did you come from, baby? - - 102 

When I grow up -_ -- 105 

When I'm a man 105 

When papa's sick -------.__ 107 

Whack 106 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 



CHAPTER I 
TO LITTLE CHILDREN EVERYWHERE 



Dear little children! Dear little girls and bo3^s 
everywhere. 

I will now tell you a very interesting little story 
which you will be glad to hear; and, I will tell you 
how good I am, and how good I want you to be, and 
how you and I can become good friends to each other. 

Now be real quiet and listen to every word I say. 

I have so many good things, so many funny things, 
and so many sad things, to tell you about, that I send 
you five little chapters, all of which are printed in this 
little book. 

A different number is printed at the top of each of 
these little chapters, so that after you read these 



2 2 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

chapters or have them read to you, you will know 
which one tells about something that you may want 
to read to some of your little friends, or have some 
one to read again to you. 

I am only a little baby yet, but I know how to talk 
to good little girls and boys, who will want to be my 
little friends after they read what I will tell them in 
this nice little book. 

Some of the things this little book tells about will 
make you laugh, and some of them will make you cry. 

That is why I want you to be real quiet while I am 
telling you my interesting little story; then, when I 
tell you about real sad things you will know when to 
cry, and when I tell you about real funny things you 
will know when to laugh. 



Before I tell you how good I am, and how good I 
want you to be, I will tell you about my little fore- 
brother who died; and, about my dear mamma, and, 
also, some wonderful things about myself. 

I am the only child of my parents, and am only six 
months old. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 23 

I am so little that I can't walk yet, but I can laugh, 
and pat my fat little hands, and kick up my chubby 
little feet, and do many other cute little things. 

As I have no little sister or brother, I want all of 
the good little girls and boys in the whole world to be 
my little friends. 

When you know how good I am, and how good I 
want you to be, you may become my little friends, 
and then, all of us together can become good little 
friends to each other. 



I am so happy and laugh so much that my dear pa- 
pa and mamma call me their little "Sunshine/ ' 

That isn't my real name though — my real name is 
Donald Sheridan Challed. 

My real name is pretty big for one of my size and 
age to bear, and it isn't very well known in the world 
yet, but some day, when I grow up to be a big man, I 
will give it honorable fame, and make it known in 
every land. 

A man took my picture yesterday, and to-day he 
printed it in this little book. Look at this picture, 
dear children, and see how happy I look, and then, 
mebby you will call me little *'Stinshine" too. 



24 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Now, dear little children, I will close this little chap- 
ter, and in the next little chapter, I will tell you all 
about my dear little fore-brother's death. 

It is a very sad little story, and you must be real 
quiet while you read it, and you must not read it very 
fast; for, as you read it you must try to think how 
pitiful my little fore-brother looked. 

When you read this sad story, it will make some of 
you feel like crying, and, some of you will cry; but, the 
next two chapters will make you feel happy, and the 
last chapter will make you feel so good that you will 
want to become my little friends. 



CHAPTER II 
MY LITTLE FORE-BROTHER'S DEATH 



Before our good Doctor gave me to my dear papa 
and mamma, they had another Httle baby boy, but he 
got sick and died. 

I don't know what relation to me big folks would 
call him, but I call him my little fore-brother because 
he died he-fore our good Doctor gave me to my dear 
papa and mamma. 

My little fore-brother has been dead nearly two years. 

He was a very smart little baby. He had large 
bright eyes, and he laughed good naturedly, just like 
I do. 

He was the first baby that my papa and mamma 
ever had. They loved him very much, and bought 
lots of nice little dresses and many other pretty little 
things for him. 

They were very proud of him, and said that they 
would educate him and train him up to be a good and 
great man. 

25 



26 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

My papa has a big store of his own; and, when my 
little fore-brother was living, papa stayed at the store 
a good deal of the time, but he went up to our house 
many times every day to see my dear mamma, and my 
dear little fore-brother. 

My mamma stayed at home nearly all the time with 
my little fore-brother, and one day, while papa was 
at the store, and mamma and my little fore-brother 
were at home — all alone, my little fore-brother got real 
sick, and acted as if he knew that he was going to die, 
in a little while. 

These very strange actions of my little fore-brother, 
frightened my dear mamma, and she hugged him 
lovingly to her breast while she went to the front 
window and looked out to see if my papa was com- 
ing. 

Papa wasn't coming though, and mamma felt so 
sorry for my sick little fore-brother that she hugged 
him still closer to her breast while she walked the floor 
and talked sweet baby words to him. 

Then, after a little while my sick little fore-brother 
closed his eyes and got real quiet, and my mamma laid 
him down in his soft little bed and patted him to 
sleep. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 27 

Then mamma looked out of the window again to see 
if papa was coming, but he wasn't coming yet. 

This made my dear mamma feel very sad and lonely, 
and as she sat down by my sick little fore-brother's 
bed, to watch over him till papa might come home, 
her eyes filled up with tears. 

She sat there a little while and then, my sick little 
fore-brother wakened up just a little, and made a fret- 
ful noise; then she felt very sorry for him and leaned 
over his little bed and tried to soothe him to sleep again. 

He then got real still again for a little while, and 
then, he wakened up a little more, and got a little 
more fretful. 

Mamma didn't take him up though, she just kneeled 
down by his little bed and gently patted his little 
shoulder, while she murmured a sweet little baby song 
to soothe him to sleep. 

She couldn't put him to sleep again though, and, in 
a little while, he opened his pretty, bright little eyes, 
and looked up into mamma's face, and moved his 
little lips as if he was trying to tell her that he was 
going to die, in a little while. 

He couldn't talk though, for he was too little. 



28 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

He just knew what he wanted to tell mamma, but he 
couldn 't talk, so he couldn't tell her. 

He then looked at mamma for quite a little while, 
and, as he seemed to think that she couldn't under- 
stand what he wanted to tell her, he felt so sorry that 
he made a pitiful little face, as if he was going to cry. 

He didn't cry though, he just looked pitiful, then 
closed his eyes again, as if he was asleep. 



When he acted this way my dear mamma was so 
sorry for him that her heart seemed to come clear 
up into her throat, and she couldn't speak. 

She looked very sad and the tears rolled down her 
cheeks for a little while, then she got up and looked 
again to see if papa was coming. 

This time papa was coming, but he didn't know that 
my little fore-brother was sick, and was going to die in 
a little while. 

Papa was coming fast and was smiling as if he was 
very happy because he was going to see my dear 
mamma and my little fore-brother. 

When papa got home he opened the front door and 
went right in just like he always did; with his heart 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 29 

overflowing with love for my mamma and my little 
fore-brother; and, as usual, his voice was full of joy 
and gladness. 

When papa opened the door mamma was standing 
by my little fore-brother's little bed, and papa saw 
that she was nearly crying. 

Mamma then raised her hand and motioned, to 
make papa be real still and walk easy so he wouldn't 
waken my little fore-brother; and then she whispered, 
sorrowfully, telling papa that my little fore-brother 
was very sick, and that she was afraid that he would 
never get well. 



My dear papa then felt real sad, and he tip-toed over 
to mamma and asked her what was the matter with 
my little fore-brother. 

Mamma wept so sorrowfully that she couldn't tell 
papa right away, and papa held her in his arms, just a 
little while, till she could speak to tell him all about 
my sick little fore-brother. 

Then, when mamma told papa all about how sick my 
little fore-brother was, and how strangely he had been 
acting, he felt very sorry for mamma and for my sick 
little fore-brother, too; and he sat down by my sick 



30 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

little fore-brother's bed, and watched over him a little 
while. 

My little fore-brother's eyes were closed as if he was 
sleeping, when papa sat down by him, and his fat little 
face was very red and feverish, and he breathed very 
fast. 

After papa watched him a httle while, he put his ear 
down close to my sick little fore-brother's breast, and 
heard a gurgling sound in his little lungs and throat. 

When papa thus learned that my sick little fore- 
brother had such a high fever, and that he had a gur- 
gling noise in his little lungs and throat, he felt very 
sad, for he then knew from what doctors had told him, 
that when a little baby got that sick it couldn't live 
very much longer. 



Then, when papa looked up at mamma he was 
nearly crying, and he told mamma that he would 
go after our good Doctor right away. 

Papa then got ready to go after our good Doctor, 
and, just as he was starting, my sick little fore-brother 
made a fretful little noise and wakened up. 

Then papa and mamma leaned over my sick little 
fore-brother's little bed, and petted him a little and 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 31 

talked some sweet little baby words to him, to see if 
he wouldn't feel better. 

This didn't do any good, though, for my little fore- 
brother just looked sorrowfully at them, and acted as 
if he wanted to tell them that he was going to die in a 
little while. 

He couldn't tell them this, though, for he was too 
little to talk. He only knew what he wanted to tell 
papa and mamma, but he couldn't tell them. 

He looked this way at papa and mamma for quite a 
little while ; and then, as they didn't seem to under- 
stand him, he made another pitiful little face, just like 
he did to mamma before papa came home, and then, 
after looking as if he was going to cry, he closed his 
eyes again as if he was going to sleep. 



When he acted this way it made my papa and 
mamma both feel very sad, and tears rolled down 
their cheeks. 

My papa then sent a man after our good Doctor, and 
then he and mamma sat down by my sick little fore- 
brother's little bed, to watch over him imtil our good 
Doctor would come. 



32 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

• Our good Doctor came in a little while, and as he 
entered the room he saw that my dear papa and 
mamma had been crying about my little fore-brother 
being so sick, and because they thought he might not 
get well. 

Our good Doctor is a great big man. He has long 
whiskers, and he is so kind and good that everybody 
likes him. 

When our good Doctor came he didn't go up to my 
sick little fore-brother right away, he stopped, stood 
still, smiled real good naturedly, and told mamma that 
my little fore -brother might not be as sick as she 
thought he was, and that she must brace up and be 
brave. 

He then smiled a still bigger smile, and in a laugh- 
ing voice he good naturedly told papa and mamma that 
after they had had half a dozen children, they would 
not get scared so easy when one of them got sick. 



Our good Doctor's pleasant face and cheerful words 
made papa cheer up a little and not feel quite so sad; 
but my dear mamma's loving heart was overflowing 
with sorrow, and she cried all the harder; and besides, 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 33 

she thought that it was no time for our good Doctor to 
talk that way. 

Just then my sick Httle fore-brother made a feeble 
little noise again and then opened his eyes. 

Our good Doctor then sat down by the little bed to 
find out how sick my little fore-brother was. 

He noticed that his fat little cheeks were very red 
and feverish; and then he held his little wrist a little 
while, and put his ear down close to his little breast 
and heard a gurgling sound in his little lungs and throat. 

Then, when our good Doctor saw how feverish my 
little fore-brother was, and how hard he breathed, and 
heard the gurgling sound in his little lungs and throat, 
he felt very sad; for he then knew that my sick little 
fore-brother was slowly dying, and that medicine 
couldn't do him any good. 

Our good Doctor didn't tell papa and mamma, just 
then, that my little fore-brother was dying. He just 
sat real still for quite a good little while, and looked at 
his feverish fat little face and watched to see how hard 
it was for him to breath. 



Then after our good Doctor had been looking at my 
sick little fore-brother that way for quite a little while, 



34 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

my sick little fore-brother opened his eyes again and 
looked up and moved his little lips as if he was trying 
to tell the Doctor that papa's and mamma's sick little 
baby was going to die. 

He looked at our good doctor in this way, just like 
he had looked at my dear mamma before papa came 
home, and just like he had looked at papa and mamma 
just a little while before our good Doctor came; and then, 
as our good Doctor did not seem to understand what 
my little fore-brother's feverish little lips tried to tell 
him, my sick little fore-brother made another pitiful 
little face, as if he 'was going to cry; then he again 
closed his eyes as if he was asleep. 

When m}^ sick little fore-brother acted this way, our 
good Doctor felt real sad and nearly cried, for he knew 
that my sick little fore-brother, knew himself that he 
was going to die in a little while, and that he was real 
sorry because he couldn't talk to my dear papa and 
mamma and tell them that he was going to die. 



Our good Doctor, and papa and mamma were real 
quiet then for quite a little while, and, presently, when 
my dear mamma was weeping real hard again, she. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 35 

asked our good Doctor if he thought my sick httle 
fore-brother would get well. 

Our good Doctor didn't answer her, right away 
though, he just leaned over and looked at my sick 
little fore-brother for a little while longer, and didn't 
let on that he heard mamma, so that he wouldn't have 
to answer her just then, because he felt so sorry for my 
dear, little dying fore-brother, and for my dear papa 
and mamma that he couldn't speak. 

Then, after waiting just a little while longer, our 
good Doctor looked up and told my dear papa and 
mamma that their sick little baby was dying, and that 
it was very sorry because it couldn't talk to tell them 
how sorry it was because it was going to die, in a little 
while, and leave its dear papa and mamma, to never 
see them any more. 

Then, just as our good Doctor finished telling my 
dear papa and mamma about this, my sick little fore- 
brother looked up again, and my dear- weeping mamma 
went over to his little bed and took her dying little 
baby up in her loving arms and sat down in a chair 
with it. 

When mamma took my sick little fore-brother up, 
in her arms, our good Doctor, and my dear papa felt 



36 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

so sad that they were nearly crying, and my dear 
mamma was crying. 

My little fore-brother then wakened up a little and 
looked up at mamma and saw her crying. He was very 
sorry for her, and after he looked at her for quite a 
little while, he smiled, and put his sweet little mouth 
up for his accustomed good night wmnma kiss. 

Mamma knew what he wanted and she hugged him 
up close to her and kissed him several times, then let 
him down again into her lap and let him lean back in 
her arms. 

Then he looked up again, and smiled, oh so pitifully, 
then slowly closed his eyes, and gasped a few times, 
then died in his blessed mamma's arms. 



CHAPTER III 



MY DEAR MAMMA'S SORROW 

A good mamma is 
The greatest of God's creatures ; 
She is the hoHest thing alive. 



In my last little letter I told you all about the sad 
death of my little fore-brother; and now, in this little 
letter, I will tell you all about my dear mamma's sor- 
row. 

Then, in my next little letter, I will tell you how our 
good Doctor and his noble big bay horse, "Prince," 
found me in a baby-forest, and how glad my dear papa 
and mamma were, when our good Doctor gave me to 
them. 

My dear papa and mamma were so sorry that my 
little fore-brother died that they were very sad for a 
long time. 

My dear mamma cried about it every day. 

Then, after a good many days, my papa told our 
good Doctor how sad mamma was and how she cried, 

37 



38 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

and then our good Doctor and papa tried to make her 
stop crying, and to brace up and be cheerful. 

All that they could say and do, though, didn't stop 
ii-amma from feeling sad, nor from crying, and taking 
flowers out to my little fore-brother's grave every 
day. 

Papa was very sorry for mamma, and was good, 
kind and loving to her all the time; but he couldn't 
get her mind off of my little fore-brother; and he was 
afraid that mamma might get sick and die too. 



My dear mamma continued to be very sad for a 
long time — until, finally, one bright sunshiny day she 
got a nice letter from her own mamma — who is my 
grandmamma, and who lives in a far away city. 

In that nice letter my grandmamma told my 
mamma some wonderful things that I don't under- 
stand; but, when mamma read them she quit crying 
and braced up, and got cheerful and happy just like 
she is now. 

I will now tell you what that nice letter said; and if 
you don't understand it now, you will when you grow 
up to be big folks like your papas and mammas are. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 39 

MY GRANDMAMMA'S LETTER. 



My grandmamma wrote a letter to mamma every 
week; and the letter of .which I now speak was, in 
part, as follows: 

"My dear Child: You must stop crying, brace up, 
and be cheerful again; so that you may do a great 
work which God, in His wisdom has planned for you 
to do. 

It is true that you have a deep sorrow; but, then, 
sorrow is, — sometimes, a great blessing in disguise; 
and when I tell you of some of its blessings you will 
understand why our all-wise Creator sends sorrows 
upon us. 

Now let me say some things, which you might not 
permit anyone but me, — your mother, to say to you. 

I feel that I can say to you, anything that I wish to 
say; for you now know, — better than you ever did, 
how dearly I love you; and that I would not inten- 
tionally say anything to you that I did not think was 
for your good. 

Now listen to the mysterious things of which I shall 
here tell you. 



40 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Sorrow is temporary darkness of the Soul ; 
And, as the darkness of night brings out stars, 
So a sorrow-darkened Soul brings out truths. 



God, who knows what is best, often takes dear little 
children from their mothers, so that those mothers 
will know, in their own hearts, the sorrows of other 
good mothers who loose children. 

Were it not for this, a young mother might not have 
the depth of sympathy that she should have for 
other mothers. 

When we understand God's laws, we then can see 
that His mysterious ways are wise. 

Sympathetic chords, in a good mother's soul,. 
Are, by the darkness of sorrow, set in action; 
As are bird voices, in darkened cages. 



Then too, my dear: 

Sometimes our eyes are washed with tears. 
That we may see our duties more clearly. 



Then, too, in His wisdom and goodness, God some- 
times takes dear little children from their good moth- 
ers, so that those mothers may know, in their own 
hearts, how dearlv their own mothers love them. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 41 

If it were not so, a young mother might never know 
how dearly her own mother loves her, and how her 
own mother would mourn her loss, should that loss be 
either by the death of her daughter, or by the alien- 
ation of her daughter s love. 

From experience, — 
In your own heart, you now know, dear, 
That a mother's love is deep and everlasting. 



Mother love 

Is the most fervent blessing 

That flows from human hearts. 



Now, my precious child, since you have had your 
sorrow, you know, in your own dear heart, the full 
measure of true mother love; and in this dearly bought 
knowledge, God, in his wisdom and goodness has, in a 
way, blessed you; therefore, instead of being grieved 
longer, my dear, cheer up, be brave, and bury away 
down deep in your heart, the grief that has so long 
worried you. 

God is wise and good. Let us acknowledge this now. 
and believe that God, in his wisdom and goodness, 
saw that it was best for Him to cause a sorrow in your 
heart, — that heart from which eternal love flows from you 
to that still living Soul, — your little child. 



42 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

The little Soul of that darling babe still lives, dear: 
Come, now, cheer up, be brave, and believe; for you 
are young yet, and God can return to you, in a new body, 
the still living Soul of your little babe, whose body 
alone is dead. 

Cheer up, have faith, fervently believe, and God 
will, if yon prove worthy of his goodness, return to you the 
sweet Soul for whom you now mourn. 

Then, as at your side he will grow ; 

How I love you, you will know ; 
For my love follows you everywhere, 

You cannot get beyond my prayer.' 



I tell you, dear, 
A mother's love lies next to God ; 
And as you to yours would give, 
So God will give to you as His. 



When your heart is sad, listen to God's loving voice, 
and he will make it glad. Listen to His soul-inspir- 
ing songs, in the singing rose; in the violet; in the 
honeysuckle; and in other petaled beauties too. 
There, He whispers H,s words of joy. There, He His 
beauty glows. There, He sheds His perfumed delight, 
and transfuses into human hearts His mystic balm of 
healine love. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 43 

When your soul is sorrow darkened by grief, bright- 
en it with the vibrant Hght of mirthful music, — God's 
soul-illuminating fire. Play lively cheerful music every 
day. Play it buoyantly; play it with all your might. 
Sing cheerful songs; sing them with joyous fervor and 
fond delight. 

When your spirit is depressed, thus illuminate 
your soul with the energizing light of God's exalted 
love. 

Do all of these things my dear, then, God, in His 
wisdom and goodness, will send back to you the still 
living soul of your sweet little babe, whose body alone 
is dead, but whose subtile image around you hovers, 
linked to your mother heart, so strong and sweet that 
he ever feels his mamma's heart-beat. 

Then, some glad day, 
When you comb and curl his hair, 

Or watch him prance and pace 
At play; you'll see "Sunshine" there 

With bright eyes and sweet face; — 
A precious gift from God above, 

To bear your mother love. 

Now my dear child do as I say, and all that I have 
said will be sure to come to pass. 

Your loving Mother.'* 



44 SUNSHINE CHALI.ED 

P. S. — "Before sending this letter I will add, that I 
have written just such serious thoughts as my soul 
has dictated; and I hope that they will be re- 
ceived by you in the same kindly spirit that I send 
them. 

You have so much to be thankful for that you ought 
to be very happy; and / want you to cheer up and he 
happy. 

As you are my only child, and the only child that I 
ever had, and as you have been my only companion 
from the time that you were one year of age, I want you 
to. know that my love for you has been the sweetest 
blessing that my Maker has given me during all of 
these many happy years. 

And, now, even though you are married, and have 
gone from my presence, you have not gone from my 
mind nor from the love of my heart. 

You have a good husband. He loves you, — aye fair- 
ly worships you; and he has in you a good wife who 
worships him; and now, therefore, I have, in my hum. 
ble way, appealed to your good heart, to encourage 
you to become cheerful, contented, and happy, that 
God may use you as an instrument with which to 
accomplish great good. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 45 

Who knows, my dear, but you may yet be the moth- 
er of a son who will be president of our Republic; or 
may be a Shakespeare, a Homer, or, possibly, a Cicero 
or a Demosthenes. 

Now, in conclusion I will say that you have and al- 
ways will have my devoted love and earnest prayers. 

My Dear Child: 

'Though others braid your thick brown hair, 

And drape your form in silk and lace, 
And fondly call you "dear and fair," 

And hold your nands and kiss your face, 
Please' remember that dear sweet prayer 
Which you and I used to share; 
And don't forget that God above 
Gave to me for you, eternal mother love.' 



My daily evening prayer shall always ask that God's 
blessings be showered upon you and yours. 

Your loving Mother." 



' After my dear mamma read this nice letter from 
my grandmamma she quit crying; and, day after day, 
after that, she played on her piano, sang songs, at- 
tended to flowers and read poetry. 

This made my dear papa very happy, and he gave 
mamma every possible encouragement* to enable her 
to follow these cheerful pursuits. 



46 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Then one day my grandmamma wrote another 
letter, asking mamma to cut out and send to her 
every choice ' ' stray ' ' poem that she could find in the 
newspapers ; so that she could have them printed in 
some of her books. 

By "stray" poems, my grandmamma meant those 
poems, the names of whose authors are not publicly 
known, — poems that are circulating around through 
the newspapers without the authors' names attached 
to them. 

When my grandmamma asked mamma to search 
for and send to her choice "stray" poems, she told 
mamma that if she would do this for more than a 
year, God might cause my little fore-brother to be a 
great poet when he came back to her and grew up 
to be a big man. 

Mamma and papa then sent some choice "stray" 
poems to my grandmamma every week for more than a 
year, during all of which time mamma was very happy. 



Then, God, in His wondrous way, 
With His mystic hand Divine, 

Began to mold from subtile clay 
And tiny sparks of bright "Sunshine' 

A little poet, whose mighty pen 
. Will surely please all wise men. 



CHAPTER IV. 
WHEN ''LITTLE SUNSHINE" CAME. 



"Little Sunshine" 
Was found in a baby-forest one cold night, 
When mother earth and all the trees in sight 
Were dressed in a beautiful garb of snowy white. 



From the time when mamma received that nice 
letter from my grandmamma on down to the present 
day, she has continued to play music, sing songs, cul- 
tivate flowers, and read poetry. 

It has been over two years since mamma received 
that letter, and it was over a year after that before 
our good Doctor was called to see her again. 

It was one very cold afternoon in February, more 
than a year after mamma had been playing music, 
singing songs, cultivating flowers, and reading poetry 
every day, that mamma told papa that she was not 
feeling very well, and that he must tell our good 
Doctor to come to see her. 

47 



48 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Papa told our good Doctor about it, and he came 
to see mamma. 

When our good Doctor came he looked at mamma's 
tongue and felt her wrist, and then he put on his 
glasses and looked into her eyes for quite a little 
while. 

At first he could not see anything in her eyes except 
two tiny little images of himself, then he went to a 
window where he sat down in a chair and looked out 
a little while before he looked into her eyes again . 

When he was sitting there looking out of the win- 
dow he seemed to be studying about something, and 
he didn't look up nor didn't speak for quite a good 
little while. 

Finally, mamma asked him if he had seen anything 
unusual in her eyes. 

He didn't answer her question right av/ay, he just 
looked out of the window attentively, and seemed to 
be in a deep study. 

Then, presently a broad smile came over his face 
and he, while still looking out of the window, answered 
mamma by saying, "Yes, I saw that / am very little in 
your eyes.'' 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 49 

The good Doctor then looked into mamma's eyes 
again, and this time he could see some sign, which 
told him that mamma was going to, shed a good many 
tears before another day, and he told her about it, 
but he said they would be tears of joy instead of tears 
of sorrow. 

Our good Doctor then sat down by the window 
again, and looked away off toward a large forest of 
very tall trees. 

He looked at this forest for a good while, without 
taking his eyes off of it. He just looked and looked 
and looked. 

Then, after he got through looking at the forest he 
turned around toward mamma and asked her if she 
had been working very hard. 

Mamma told him she had not been working hard 
for more than a year; and that during all this time 
she had played music, sang songs, cultivated flowers, 
and read poetry every day. 

The good Doctor then smiled a little and said that 
he guessed that mamma was only lonesome, and that 
he would not leave any medicine for her, but that he 
would come back to see her again early next morning, 
before papa would leave for his store. 



50 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Then our good Doctor went home and fed his noble 
big bay horse, "Prince," and ate his own supper, and 
told his good wife that he and Prince were going out 
to the baby -forest to find a little baby for m}^ 
mamma. 

When the good Doctor told this to his wife it made 
her feel very happy, for she loved my mamma very 
much, and she told the Doctor to be sure and get a 
little boy baby for mamma. 

After the good Doctor had finished eating his supper, 
his man put a saddle and bridle on Prince and brought 
him out of his warm stable, for his master to ride him 
to the baby-forest. 

While the good Doctor's man was doing this, the 
good Doctor's wife was helping him put on his heavy, 
warm overcoat and a large fur cap that came down 
over his ears. 

She then strapped the good Doctor's baby-basket 
tight to his breast, where he could see to put the little 
baby in it, and where he could watch it all the way 
back to my papa's house, so that the little baby might 
not fall out into the deep snow, for there was deep 
snow on the groimd, and the limbs of the trees were 
bending down from its weight. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 51 

When our good Doctor got ready to go, he 
looked so f tinny that his good wife laughed at him, 
and told him that he looked just like good old Santa 
Claus. 

He certainly did look funny, and he felt funny too, 
for he laughed, and cut up a good deal and talked real 
good naturedly. 

He wore big boots with sharp-pointed iron climbing 
hooks strapped to them, so he could climb the tall 
trees in the baby -forest. 

His overcoat was thick and wooly, and it came down 
to his feet. 

His cap was a regular Santa Claus cap, and his 
gloves were very large, white, wooly ones. 

The baby-basket which was strapped to his breast 
was just big enough to hold a little baby. It was 
lined with blue, and had soft, warm little blankets in 
it to wrap around the little baby. 

In one end of this pretty little basket, the good 
Doctor's wife had put some nice little clothes for the 
little baby, so that when our good Doctor would give 
the little baby to mamma she would have the little 
baby clothes all ready to put on it. 



52 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

When Prince saw the good Doctor coming toward 
him, with the httle baby-basket strapped to his breast, 
he knew that his master was going to ride him to the 
baby-forest. 

Prince was a very smart horse, and he hked to have 
little babies and good little children to ride on his 
back, and when he saw his master coming to ride him 
to the baby-forest he held his head up proudly and 
pricked up his ears, and acted as if he was very glad 
to go. 

As soon as his master mounted Prince, the happy 
horse turned and started for the baby-forest as fast as 
he could well pace through the deep snow. 



The baby-forest was a long, long ways from our 
good Doctor's home, and it took a long time for Prince 
to take him there. 

It was in the middle of the night when the good 
Doctor and Prince arrived at the baby-forest, and all 
of the people in the country were fast asleep. 

The night was very cold. The moon was shming 
brightly and the stars were twinkling. The ground in 
the baby-forest was covered to a great depth with 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 53 

snow, and the pretty white flakes were so thick and 
heavy on the trees, that the lower hmbs of all the 
large baby -trees were bent down to the ground. 



When the good Doctor and Prince went a short 
distance into the forest, they stopped to rest for a little 
while, for they had come a long ways and both of them 
were tired. 

They had not gone far enough in the forest, yet, to 
find the baby-trees, and when he got off of Prince 
and sat down on a big log. Prince look at him and 
nickered a little, as much as to tell him that they had 
not gone far enough. 

The good Doctor then patted Prince on the neck to 
make him rest a little while before they would go any 
further. 

Then Prince stood still and rested while the good 
Doctor sat on the big log and rested, and thought 
about what kind of a little baby he should get for my 
mamma. 



While thinking about this he remembered that my 
mamma had told him that she had been playing 
music, singing songs, cultivating flowers, and reading 



54 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

poetry every day for more than a year; and this 
caused him to think that he should get a httle girl 
baby who would be a great musician, or a little boy 
baby who would be a great poet. 

After thinking this over very carefully he happened 
to think how sorry papa and mamma were when my 
little fore-brother died, and that if he should get them 
a little baby poet, it might have the soul of my little 
fore-brother, and that this would please my papa and 
mamma best. 

This thought made the good Doctor feel real happy, 
and he made his mind up that he would get a little 
baby poet. 

The good Doctor then said to himself, "It is well 
that I am getting this good rest now, because those 
little baby poets are to be found only in the tallest 
baby-trees in the forest, and I will have to climb to a 
great height to get one." 

After the good Doctor had rested for a good while 
longer, Prince well knew that there was something 
unusual to cause his master to take such a long rest; 
for he had carried him to and from these far away 
baby- woods many times before, when the good Doctor 
was after babies. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED - 55 

Finally, after Prince thought it was high time for 
himself and his master to be on their way to the 
baby-trees, he nickered a few times to let the good 
Doctor know that he was eager to go. 



The good Doctor then looked at his noble horse and 
said: "My dear Prince, to-night we will carryback 
with us, the smartest and prettiest baby to be found in 
the baby- woods, and it is now 'up to you' to find him." 

The noble horse seemed to understand what his 
master said, and he began to prance and feel very 
proud to know that he was to be so highly honored, 
and that he himself was to find the little poet for his 
master. 

The good Doctor then mounted his horse and started 
off in the direction of the tall baby-trees. 

He did not want to go very fast though, because he 
rather dreaded to climb such high trees on so cold a 
night. 

Prince was in a hurry, however, and he soon started 
off in a lively pace. 



. After they had gone quite a long distance, Prince 
pricked up his ears and began to neigh as if he wanted 



56 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

to attract the attention of some little baby poet, sleep- 
ing in a tree top. 

He had neighed but a few times when, sure enough, 
a tiny little baby poet in the highest treetop heard him, 
and then it sang out three times, in a voice like that of 
a canary-bird, the word, "Sweet," "Sweet," "Sweet." 

This surprised the good Doctor a little, for he had 
almost forgotten that poet babies are the only ones 
that make any kind of noise in the baby-forest, and 
that they sing out the word, "Sweet," "Sweet," 
"Sweet," three times, in a canary-like voice, to let 
doctors know that they are little poets, and that they 
will sing sweet songs to all the world when they grow 
up to be big men or big ladies. 



When Prince heard the voice of the little baby poet, 
he started direct to the baby-tree where the little 
baby's voice came from, and as Prince approached 
the tree he looked up toward the top of it, and neighed 
and nickered, and neighed and nickered a good many 
times, as if he wanted the little baby to look down. 

The good Doctor sat real still on Prince's back for 
just a little bit, and looked at the pretty sights to be 
seen all around him. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 57 

The woods were very quiet, and the deep snow 
on the ground and its beautiful white flakes on 
the trees made the whole forest look very pretty; 
and the good Doctor said to himself, "This sight 
is fit for thfe gods, — oh, what an ominous feeling 
comes over me!" 



As the good Doctor finished saying these words he 
then slid down off of Prince's back and stood there 
very quietly for a moment, while he looked at the 
shrine-like drifts of snow formed around the baby- tree, 
and at the beautiful arches made by the bending, 
snow-covered branches. 

It always had been the good Doctor's custom to 
kneel down and pray before he ventured to climb 
baby- trees, and now, as the sweet, musical voice of the 
little baby poet was ringing out the words, "Sweet," 
"Sweet," "Sweet," in the solemn quietude of the mid- 
night hour, and as the snow was drifted into shrine- 
like forms around the tree and beneath the arches of 
its bending branches, he felt a solemn ecstasy perme- 
ating his whole being as he knelt down to thank God 
for His goodness, in giving to him another little baby 
for my dear mamma. 



58 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

While thus kneeling down in prayer, with his face 
turned heavenward, the good Doctor saw a holy light 
shining all around him, and around Prince, who was 
standing near by; and he also saw two wonderfully 
bright eyes looking down from a hollow knot far, far 
up in the tall tree. 

As this holy light cast its warm, mellow rays down 
through the snow covered, arched branches, the little 
baby poet listened carefully and heard every word 
that our good Doctor said. 

Then, after our good Doctor had finished his pray- 
ers, asking God to give him a little baby poet, the lit- 
tle baby up in the treetop, in order to let the Doctor 
know that a little^baby poet was up there, sang out 
in a sweet voice, down through the Divine light, the 
following poetic words, describing the Doctor's feelings: 

''I knelt before a snowy shrine 

In solemn ecstasy; 
A holy light began to shine, 

I raised my eyes to see, 
And in the silence all Divine, 

Sunny eyes looked down on me." 

When the Doctor heard this sweet voice saying 
these poetic words a tremor of solemn delight thrilled 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 59 

his soul, because he then knew for a certainty that the 
little baby singing in the treetop was a poet. 



The good Doctor then started up the tree and it 
took him quite a good little while to get clear up to 
the little baby's nest. 

While he was on his way up, the little baby quit 
singing, *'Sweet," ''Sweet," "Sweet," and settled back 
into its cozy nest to wait for the good Doctor. 

When the good Doctor got up to the baby's nest he 
peeked in, and saw, to his surprise, that the little baby 
was smiling and looking right at him. 

It smiled just like I am smiling in my picture, 
printed in this book. 

"Ah, ha!" said the good Doctor, **You are a little 
'sunshine' baby, and I know a sweet little woman 
who is very lonesome because she has no little baby, 
and I shall take you to her." 



Then the good Doctor reached in and lifted the little 
baby out of its nest, and put it into his pretty little 
baby-basket, and covered it with the pretty, soft little 
blankets. 



6o SUNSHINE CHALLED 

He then started down the tree, and Prince, nickered, 
nickered and nickered, as he watched him come down, 
down, down. 

When the good Doctor got down he Hfted the hd up 
just a little, to let Prince look into the basket to see 
the little baby poet's sunny eyes. 

Then after Prince looked in and saw the little baby 
poet's bright eyes, this noble horse seemed to be very 
happy; for he nickered, and pranced around the good 
Doctor a little bit, and then he raised up his head and 
tail and trotted around and around the baby-tree; and 
while he was trotting around it, he neighed and neighed 
as loud as he could, as if he was rejoicing over the new 
baby, and as if he was trying to tell my dear mamma 
that he and our good Doctor had found it for her. 



After the good Doctor had tucked the soft, warm, 
little blankets around the little baby poet, he had to 
wait quite a good little while before Prince stopped 
neighing and trotting around the baby-tree; but, 
finally he stopped, and let the good Doctor mount 
him; and then he started back toward town, — to my 
papa's home, as fast as he could go through the deep 
snow. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 6i 

When Prince arrived at our house with the good 
Doctor on his back and the Httle baby poet in the 
basket, my papa and mamma, and papa's mamma, 
and my dear aunt Marie, the only persons who were at 
our house were sound asleep; but as soon as Prince 
stopped at our gate he neighed very loud, — just once, 
and that wakened papa and mamma, but didn't 
waken papa's mamma nor my aunt Marie. 

The good Doctor then started through the deep 
snow toward our front door, and when he got there 
papa opened the door and let him bring the little 
baby in, and, when he took the little baby basket up 
to the bed where mamma was, he said: "I have 
brought a little baby poet to you. It is a boy. His 
voice is very sweet and his eyes are as bright as sun- 
shine. He will be a great comfort to you now; and 
when he grows up to be a man, he will be an honor 
to himself, to his family, and to his nation." 



The good Doctor then told mamma that, as the lit- 
tle baby was fast asleep, he would not disturb it, but 
that he would leave the basket on a chair beside her 
bed, while he would go out and take Prince to his 
good warm stable, and that after he did this, he 



62 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

would come back and stay until the little baby would 
awaken. 

He then went out and rode Prince away, toward his 
stable. 

Papa and mamma didn't expect him back for quite 
a good little while, and as it was very early, and they 
did not yet have their sleep out, papa got in bed and 
covered up to take a little more sleep until the good 
Doctor would come back. 

Papa soon fell asleep, but mamma couldn't go to 
sleep for she thought that she couldn't wait for the 
Doctor to come back, before she surely would have to 
lift up the little baby-basket lid, and take a peek at 
the little baby's face to see if it looked like my little 
fore-brother. 

My dear mamma looked at the pretty little baby- 
basket for quite a little while, and, finall}^ as it was 
on her side of the bed, and very close to her, she 
quietly reached over and lifted up the lid so she could 
see the little baby's face. 

When she first looked in, the little baby's eyes were 
closed as if it was fast asleep. Mamma then saw that 
it was a perfect image of my little fore-brother, and 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 63 

then she wanted to see it smile so she would know for 
sure if it was him. 

Finally, as she continued to hold up the lid, and 
watch the little baby's face, it made a little noise and 
then opened its sunny bright eyes and smiled. When 
it smiled, mamma saw at once that it was my little 
fore-brother, and when she saw that it was him she 
screamed, and then cried out loud from the effects of 
the overjoy, — the irrepressible gladness of her happy 
heart. 



When mamma did this, her cries aroused poor papa, 
and he, half awake and half asleep, tried to quiet 
her. When this happened, papa's own mamma, who 
heard mamma scream, came rushing into mamma's 
room to see what had happened, and just as she came 
in our good Doctor came back again. 

When our good Doctor found out that mamma was 
overjoyed because she had found out that the little 
baby was my little fore-brother, he told mamma that 
he knew that she Vv'as to shed a good many tears from 
an overjoyed heart, because he had seen a sign in her 
eyes the day before that told him that such a happen- 
ing would come to pass. 



64 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Then mamma remembered that the good Doctor had 
told her that she would soon shed a good many tears 
of joy, and she confessed to him that she had lifted 
the little baby-basket lid up, so she could see if the 
little baby was the same one that had died, and that 
when she looked at it for a little while it opened its 
eyes and smiled at her because it still knew her. 



The good Doctor then said, "Well, my dear little 
woman, you will now have to stay in bed for a good 
many days before you can get up, for your heart has 
become so affected from overjoy, that you might drop 
dead if you should walk any, for some time, — possibly 
ten days or two weeks." 

Mamma was sorry that she would have to stay in 
her bed so long, but she said she would do so. 

The good Doctor then peeked into the little baby- 
basket and he saw that the little baby was awake. He 
then took it out and handed it to papa's mamma, — 
one of my grandmammas, and she put the pretty 
little baby clothes on it. 



By this time papa had arose and dressed himself 
and was walking around the room with his hands 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 65 

shoved down into his pants pockets. He didn't say 
very much to anyone though; he just smiled and 
smiled and smiled, and walked and walked and 
walked, as if he was so proud of the new baby that 
he was too full of joy for utterance. 

The good Doctor then told papa and mamma all 
about how he and his noble horse, 'Trince," had found 
the little baby poet, and then he went home as soon 
as the little baby was dressed. 



The good Doctor had not been gone a minute before 
my proud papa wanted to take the little baby in his 
arms and hold it a little while. My aunt Marie then 
came in, and she saw papa holding the little baby and 
then she made him let her hold it a little while. - 

Papa and aunt Marie kissed the little baby several 
times while they held it, but not until after my grand- 
mamma and my mamma had kissed it. 

My aunt Marie then laid the little baby down close 
by mamma, and when mamma spoke some sweet little 
baby words to it, like she used to speak to my little 
fore-brother, it opened its eyes and smiled just like my 
little fore-brother used to smile. 



66 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

This made papa and mamma both very happy, for 
they then felt sure that all of the good promises made 
in my grandmamma's letter would come true, and 
that the little baby would some day be a great poet. 

Papa had the little baby poet's picture taken once 
every month, and the last one, taken when he was six 
months old, is the smiling, good natured picture taken 
of me yesterday and printed in this nice little book 
to-day. 

By this, my dear little friends, you will now under- 
stand that my little fore-brother who died was bom 
again, and that I am the same little boy; the only 
difference is I am a poet now 



CHAPTER V 
HOW TO BE GOOD 



Doing duty is being good ; 
Then, let us do our duty always. 



Now, my dear little friends, I have told you about 
my little fore-brother, and about my dear papa and 
mamma and our good Doctor and his noble horse, 
Prince, and how our good Doctor and Prince found 
me in the baby-forest, and now I will tell you just 
how good I am, and how good you must be if you 
want to be my little friends. 

A little baby like me cannot do as many good acts, 
as some of you big girls and boys can do, but little 
babies can do all the good acts that they have power 
to do. 

The same is true about good sized little girls and 
boys; they cannot do as many good acts as some big 
folks can, but they can do all that lies within their 
power. 

C7 



68 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

All of the good acts that I can now do are those 
which I do as little baby acts. 

A baby's good acts require me to be good natured; 
to be quiet when I ought to be quiet ; to laugh when I 
ought to laugh; and to play with my little toys when 
papa and mamma want me to do so. 

I do all of these good acts and a few others, and my 
papa and mamma say that I am very good for one of 
my age. 



Some little babies don't do these good acts, and, 
now, when I tell you this, you may wonder why I do 
these good acts and why some other little babies do 
not do them. 

I cannot make you understand why this is true, but 
I can tell you so you will know all about it when you 
grow up to be big like your papas and mammas are. 

In one of the other little chapters I told you that 
because my dear mamma read real good poetry every 
day for a long time before our good Doctor gave me 
to my parents, the Doctor knew that a little baby poet 
would suit her, and then he got a little baby poet for 
her. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 69 

All good Doctors do the same way when mammas 
do good acts every day. If mammas do good acts all 
the time the good Doctors will always bring to them 
little babies who will do good acts. 



When mammas do good acts all the time they are 
happy, and when the good Doctor brings little babies 
to them, these little babies also do good acts, and they 
are happy. 

Some mammas, though, don't know when they are 
doing good acts and, although I do not intend to tell 
you how many ways some mammas fail to do good 
acts, I will tell you some of these ways, and then you 
will know from these, that if they fail to do their duty 
some ways, they may also fail to do so in other ways. 



A real good man who knows all about our little 
souls once said, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so 
is he." 

He said this a long time ago when people thought 
that their souls were in their hearts; but now, as 
people know differently, it would be right to say that, 
"As a man thinketh, so is he," for, it is true that when 
we think strong enough of doing good acts to make us 



70 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

do them, then we will do them; and when we think 
strong enough of doing evil acts, to make us do them, 
then we will do them. 

By this, my dear little friends, you will understand 
that if we want to be good and to do good acts, we 
must have good thoughts in our minds. 



A great deal, however, depends upon how our papas 
and mammas train us; for, even though we may be 
good when we are little babies, we are sometimes 
taught naughty httle habits that make us become evil. 

I am going to tell you a little story now about two 
little babies who were r^al good when they were little, 
and one of them grew up to be a good man, and he 
was always real happy; but the other one grew up to 
be real wicked, and he was very unhappy, and came 
to a bad end. 

The mammas of both of these little babies thought 
that they themselves were real good, and that they 
always did their duties toward these little babies, but, 
when I tell you just how they taught certain habits to 
their little babies, you will see what a mistake one of 
them made. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 71 

Both of these little babies were good natured and 
they laughed, just like I do, because they had good, 
kind, loving thoughts in their minds. 

When one of them was big enough to play with a 
little doll, it happened to hurt its fat little hand on 
the little doll's little arm. 

This made the little baby cry, and, it looked up to 
its mamma, hoping that she would come and kiss its 
fat little hand to stop it from hurting. 

Its mamma came and kissed its fat little hand and 
it stopped crying at once. Then the good mamma 
said, "mebby the little dolly's arm hurts too," and 
then she kissed the little dolly's arm to make it stop 
hurting. 

The little baby saw its good mamma do this, and it 
laughed good naturedly, and kissed the little dolly's 
arm too. 

When the good mamma kissed the little dolly's 
arm, she did so to teach her little baby that it must 
be kind to others, as others were to it, and the little 
baby learned this good lesson very easy. 



Then, at another time this little baby was play- 
ing with his little kitty, and he happened to bimip 



72 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

the little kitty's head against his fat little face, so 
hard that it hurt and made him cry. 

His good mamma saw what had happened and 
she ran to him, and- kissed his fat little face to stop 
it from hurting. The little baby then thought about 
how his good mamma had kissed the little dolly's 
arm when he got hurt by it, and he then pointed 
to the little kitty and wanted his good mamma to 
kiss the place on its little head that got hurt. 

The good mamma did this, and then the little 
baby, who by this time was nearly old enough to 
walk, hugged the little kitty up close in his little 
arms and kissed the place on its little head that had 
got hurt. 

This was the second good lesson that the good 
mamma taught the little baby, and she kept on teach- 
ing him good lessons, until he grew up to be a very 
kind and good man, and everybody liked him because 
he always did good acts. 



Now I will tell you about the other little baby. 

When it was little like I am now, it was very, 
very good, and one day when it was playing with 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 73 

its little doll it hurt its fat little hand on its little 
doll's arm. 

This made the little baby cry real hard, and it 
looked up at its mamma hoping that she would 
come and kiss its little hand to stop it from hurting. 

Its mamma then came and kissed its fat little 
hand, but she did not kiss the little dolly's arm. 
She just picked up the little dolly and slapped it, 
because, as she said, it had hurt her little baby. 

Then the little baby, seeing how its mamma had 
slapped the little dolly, slapped it too. 

This was an evil lesson for that mamma to teach 
to her little baby, for it put evil thoughts in his 
mind. 



At another time when this little baby was just 
old enough to creep around on the floor, he was 
playing with his little kitty, and he and the little 
kitty both got hurt just like the other little boy 
and his little kitty did. 

His mamma heard him crying and she ran to him 
and kissed his fat little face where it was hurting, 
then he stopped crying, and pointed his finger at the 
little kitty, to tell his mamma that it had hurt him. 



74 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

His thoughtless mamma now taught him another 
bad lesson; for she slapped the little kitty real hard, 
and then told him to slap it, which he did. 



Then, when this little boy grew up so that he 
could run around and play, he was playing with a 
real pretty little girl not quite as big as he was, and, 
while at play, he and this pretty little girl happened 
to hurt each other so that both of them cried. 

They were then out on the lawn and their mammas 
did not hear them crying. 

The little boy whose mamma had taught him to 
slap his little dolly, and his little kitty, when he got 
hurt while playing with them, now thought of these 
two bad lessons which his mamma had taught him, 
and he then slapped the pretty little girl so hard 
that she fell down and hurt her sweet little face so 
badly, that her nose bled all over her nice new 
clothes, and she cried very hard. 

The naughty little boy didn't care, though, his 
mamma had taught him this evil way by the two 
evil lessons she had taught him, so he just went 
away from the lawn and didn't care how badly he 
hurt the pretty little girl. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 75 

This little boy kept on growing more and more 
evil from the evil lessons that his thoughtless mamma 
had taught him, until, after he grew up to be a big 
man, he was so wicked that no one liked him, and 
finally he killed a man, and was hanged for it. 

This shows how bad little boys can become if evil 
thoughts are put into their minds; and I tell you 
of this, so that you may not allow 37^ourself to hold 
evil thoughts in your minds. 

I want all of you to make up your little minds 
that you will always be good, and that you will 
always try to do your duties; then, if you will do 
this, you can be my little friends. 

To do our duty is more important than to be- 
come great scholars; for to do one's duty is to do 
good, but to become great scholars without doing 
duty might cause us to do evil things. 



In order to be my little friends, you must follow 
the following rules: 

1. You must do your duty. 

2. You must be honest. 

3. You must be truthful. 



76 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

4. You must not use bad words. 

5. You must keep your hands and face clean, 
and hair combed. 

6. You must be good to your papa and mamma 
and to your teacher and to everybody else. 

7. You must say some little prayer every night. 

I might give you more rules to follow, but I 
think that if you will follow these you will be 
very good little boys and girls. 

If from any cause you don't at first succeed, in 
trying to follow these rules, be sure to try, try 
again, and finally when you do succeed you will be 
my little friends. 

Hoping that all of you will now become my little 
friends and help me to make all of the people in 
the whole world better, I will say good bye, imtil 
I write another little book for you. 

Your little friend, 

SUNSHINE CHALLED. 



SELECTIONS 

CAREFULLY COMPILED 
FOR 

Children of All Ages 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 79 



SUNSHINE, 



One little ray of sunshine 

To glisten in our path, 
Will make the weary journey 

Reduced by more than half. 

A kindly word of welcome, 

A greeting with a smile, 
Will help the weary traveler 

For many a cheerless mile. 

Then you who dwell in Sunshine, 

Don*t keep it all within, 
That which we have not done before 

'Tis time we should begin. 

There are "shut-ins" all around you, 
Who love the sunlight sweet. 

You have enough and some to spare, 
Just brighten their retreat. 



8o SUNSHINE CHALLED 



A LITTLE BOY'S DREAM. 



Last night, when I was in bed, 
Such a funny thing seemed to me; 

I dreamed that I was grandpapa, 
And grandpapa was me. 

And he was such a tiny boy, 
And dressed in baby clothes; 

I thought I kissed his face, 
Every time his head arose. 

I went walking up the street, 

And he ran by my side; 
Because I walked too quick for him, 

My goodness, how he cried! 

And after tea I washed his face. 
And when his prayers were said, 

I turned the light out 

And left poor grandpapa alone, in bed. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 8i 



I WISH I V/ERE A LITTLE STAR. 



"I wish I were a little star," 
Said Rob one summer night, 

"I wouldn't have to wash at all, 
And yet I would be bright. 

"I wouldn't have to go to bed, 

But stay up all the night. 
I'd roam far about the world, 

And give a lot of light. 

"In winter I'd see Santa 

Down the chimney go; 
And Jack Frost painting pictures 

While the fierce north winds do blow. 

"And yet while all these things I'd see, 

I'd do a great deal more ; 
I'd lead the beggared orphan 

To a friendly household door." 



82 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



"SAYING GRACE.' 



"Come, come, Mamma, to the window !" 
Cried Freddie, with eager face ; 

"Just look at my little biddies — 

They are drinking and saying grace.'* 

I quickly came at his bidding, 

And saw a pretty sight; 
Six downy little chickens 

Drinking with all their might. 

And as they sipped the water 
They craned their necks on high, 

As if their thanks were lifted 
To the beautiful blue sky. 

And so I could not wonder, 

So rapt was his eager face, 
That to him the little chickens 

Were "drinking and saying grace.'* 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 83 



THE LIGHTNING EXPRESS. 



Down grandmother's banister rail 
Swift as the wind I slide ; 
I'm the engineer 
That never knows fear, 
And I travel far and wide. 

Each time I rush upstairs 

Grandmother cries, "Don't fall!" 

When, whiz! I drop 

Without any stop 
Between Boston and Montreal. 

I hurry again to the top. 
Oh, my, it is such fun! 

For this is the train 

That's flying from Maine 
And arriving at Washington. 

Once more I am off like a flash 
To carry the New York mail. 
I am sure you would guess 
'Tis the lightning express 
On grandmother's banister rail. 

— Anna M. Pratt in Youth's Companion. 



84 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



A BOY'S VALENTINE. 



The boys are sending valentines 
To girls they like the best. 

Harold sent his to Annabel, 
And Robert to Celeste. 

They told me to be sure to choose 
The dearest one I knew, 

And so I send my valentine. 
My mother, sweet, to you! 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 85 



CHILDREN'S TIME TABLE. 



Sixty seconds make a minute; 
How much good can I do in it? 
Sixty minutes make an hour — 
All the good that's in my power ; 
Twenty hours and four a day — 
Time for work and sleep and play; 
Days three hundred and sixty-five 
Make a year in which to strive, 
Every moment, hour and day, 
My dear Master to obey. 



86 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



HIS FIRST RECITATION. 



I think it's not an easy task 

To speak a piece in school, 
But still I do not wish to ask 

To be excused the rule. 

For little boys must some day take 

The places of the men, 
And if they would good speakers make. 

Must try and try again. 

This be our motto ; and now here 

I'll close my little rhyme, 
Hoping should I again appear, 

To better do next time. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 87 



HIS MOTHER'S DARLING. 



Whilst walking down a crowded city street the other day 
I heard a little urchin to a comrade turn and say: 
"Say, Chimmy, lemme tell youse I'd be happy as a clam 
If I only wuz de feller dat me mudder t'inks I am. 

"She t'inks I am a wonder an' she knows her little lad 
Could never mix wit' nuttin' dat wuz ugly, mean or bad. 
Oh, lots o' times I sit an' t'ink how nice 'twould be, gee whiz! 
If a feller wuz de feller dat his mudder t'inks he is." 

My friend, be yours a life of toil or undiluted joy. 
You still can learn a lesson from this small, uncultured boy. 
Don't aim to be an early saint, with eyes fixed on a star, 
Just try to be the fellow that your mother thinks you are. 



88 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



A VERY BAD CASE. 



What is it ails my dolly dear? 

I'm quite sure I know 
She's very sick, and if she dies, 

'Twill be a fearful blow. 

She's got "ammonia'* in her lungs, 
''Plumbago" in her back, 

A "tepid" liver and a cough 
That keeps her on the rack. 

She's got an "ulster'* in her throat, 
And "bunions" on her hand ; 

Her skull is pressing on her brain- 
'Twill have to be "japann'd." 

I think I'll send for Doctor Jones, 
And Doctors Price and Bell; 

They'll hold a "consolation" then, 
And maybe she'll get well. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 89 



A STORY. 



I'll tell you a story, mamma, 
I'll "make it up," you know — 

There once was a little girl. 
Lived years and years ago. 

Her mother loved and loved her. 
And never made her mind. 

And let her eat the cookies. 
And, oh, was awful kind. 

She staid up late like grown folks, 
Her mother liked her to. 

And — won't you make this story 
Come just exactly true? 



90 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



MY MAMMA'S LAP. 



I like t' play wif dollies, an' I like t' go t' school; 

I like t' jump my skippin' rope in mornin's when it's cool ; 

I like t' play go visitin' while dolly takes her nap, 

But sometimes nuffin else'll do but sit in mamma's lap. 

I like t' climb th' peach tree, an' I like t' make mud pies ; 

I like t' play wif puppy, an' I like a birfday s'prise; 

I like t' go out ridin' an' ist wear my little cap, 

But when I'm tired an' sleepy, w'y, I want my mamma's lap. 

I like t* 'tend my playhouse — it's th' finest place in town; 
I like t* play big lady wif long skirts a-hangin' down ; 
I like t' go t' Sunday school an' wear my new silk wrap. 
But when a lump gets in my froat I ist want mamma's lap. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 91 



PEDDLE SUNSHINE. 



Though you deal in liquid blacking, 

Dismal bluing and such things, 
When you have a sale to manage 

Do it as the robin sings; 
Put some cheer-up in your business — 

Be a chipper sort of man. 
And, with other lines of notions. 

Peddle sunshine if you can. 

There's an awful deal of meanness 

In this busy world of ours; 
But mixed in with weeds the rankest 

Oft-times grow the finest flowers. 
Wear a posey on your lapel — 

It won*t hurt the trade you plan, 
And along with other samples. 

Peddle sunshine if you can. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 



LITTLE MIDGET. 



My papa sometimes scolds and says 

I'm always in a fidget ! 
But mamma says I keep quite still 

For such a little midget ; 

And teacher said to-day she thought 

That it was very smart 
For such a little thing as I 

To learn a speech by heart. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 93 



I'M VERY YOUNG. 



I'm very young! but what of that? 

You once were young as I; 
And you don't know what I can do 

Until you see me try. 

I cannot tell you all I know — 

I guess I won't tell half ; 
For if I should I'm very sure 

You'd only sit and laugh. 



94 SUNSHINE C HAILED 



MUS'N'T TOUCH, 



The baby's rosy fingers found 

So oft their curious way 
Among our books and bric-a-brac, 

We had to tell her nay. 
"You must not touch, remember, dear," — 

She knew the words full well. 

One day, upon a beauteous vase 

Her longing glances fell; 
She toddled toward the shining thing 

She wished to clasp so much, 
Then — bravely turned away and sighed, 

"Anoder mus'n't touch." 

Nellie K. Kellogg. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 95 



SUNSHINE CAKE. 



Take a little patience and some charity, 

Add a bit of kindness every little while ; 
Stir in hope and courage with a dash of giee 

And a taste for seeing other people smile : 
With the ladle known as love mix these things together, 
And the joyful world will have only pleasant weather. 

Cease to frown while waiting for your toil's reward, 
Look on others kindly and forget to hate; 

Give up sadly thinking that somehow the Lord 
Always puts the best things on some other's plate : 

Give back cheerful words to all who may kindly hail you, 
And your cake will seldom fall or the oven fail you. 



96 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



ONE LITTLE ACT. 



I saw a man, with tottering steps, 

Come down a graveled walk one day; 
The honored frost of many years 

Upon his scattered thin locks lay. 
With trembling hands he strove to raise 

The latch that held the little gate, 
When rosy lips looked up and smiled, — 

A silvery child-voice said, "Please wait." 

A little girl opened wide the gate, 

And held it till he passed quite through, 
Then closed it, raising to his face 

Her modest eyes of winsome blue. 
"May Heaven bless you, little one," 

The old man said, with tear-wet eyes ; 
"Such deeds of kindness to the old 

Will be rewarded in the skies." 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 97 



THE DAYS. 



Thirty days, 

Hath September; 
April, June, 

And November. 
All the rest, 

Have thirty-one; 
Except February 

Alone — 
Which has four, 

And twenty-four; 
And ev'ry fourth year 

One day more. 



98 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



THE COURAGEOUS BOY. 



Some of the boys in our school, 
Whose elbows I can't reach, 

Are ten times more ashamed than I 
To rise and make a speech. 

I guess they are afraid some girl 

Who is about their age, 
May laugh and criticise their looks 

When they come on the stage. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 99 



SOLDIER-LIKE. 



It's very hard, kind friends, for me 
To stand up here, with trembling knee, 
And see so many people's eyes 
Cast on a boy of my small size ; 
But then I thought I'd take my place, 
And, soldier-like, the music face. 
I've tried my hardest to please you; 
You may believe me, this is true. 
Your kind attention — ere we part — 
I thank you for, with all my heart! 



oo SUNSHINE CHALLED 



THE GUARDIAN ANGEL. 



Right out of the sky, my mamma says, 
Comes an angel, kind and strong, 

And he takes care of our baby child, 
A-playing the whole day long. 

He stays right with her and watches close. 

He never comes late or slow. 
And but for that angel, my mamma says. 

We'd have lost her long ago. 

It's surely true, 'cause she runs and falls. 

And she don't ever rest, 
But she hasn't ever broken her neck, 

And she's tried it her very best. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED loi 



THANK YOU, GOD! 



Roaming in the meadow, 

Little four-year-old 
Picks the starry daisies, 

With their hearts of gold. 

Fills her snowy apron, 
Fills her dimpled hands; 

Suddenly, how quiet 
In the grass she stands ! 

"Who made f 'owers so pitty, 
Put *em here? Did God?" 

"Yes, 'twas God," I answered, 
"Spread them o'er the sod." 

Dropping all her blossoms. 

With uplifted head. 
Serious face turned heavenward, 

"Thank you, God !" she said. 



I02 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

WHERE DID YOU COME FROM, BABY? 



"Where did you come from, baby dear?" 
"Out of the everywhere into the here." 

"Where did you get your eyes so blue?" 
"Out of the sky as I came through." 

"What makes the Hght in them sparkle and spin?" 
"Some of the starry spikes left in." 

"Where did you get that little tear?" 
"I found it waiting when I got here." 

"What makes your forehead so smooth and high?" 
"A soft hand stroked it as I went by." 

"What makes your cheek like a warm white rose?" 
"Something better than any one knows." 

"Whence that three-cornered smile of bliss?" 
"Three angels gave me at once a kiss." 

"Where did you get that pearly ear?" 
"God spoke and it came out to hear." 

"Where did you get those arms and hands?" 
"Love made itself into hooks and bands." 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 103 

"Feet, whence did you come, you darling things?*' 
"From the same body as the cherubs' wings." 

"How did they all just come to be you?" 
"God thought about me, and so I grew." 

"But how did you come to us, my dear?" 
"God thought about you, and so I am here." 

George Macdonald. 



NOW IS THE TIME. 



To-day is the time for laughter; 

To-morrow the time for tears, 
Whatever may come hereafter, 

Whatever of woe with years; 
To-day is the time to borrow 

The best that the gods can give, 
We can sorrow, if need be, to-morrow, 

But to-day is the time to live ! 



I04 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



LAUGH A LITTLE BIT. 



Here's a motto just your fit, 

Laugh a little bit. 
When you think youVe trouble hit, 

Laugh a little bit. 
Look misfortune in the face, 
Brave the beldam's rude grimace; 
Ten to one, 'twill yield its place 
If you have the wit and grit 

Just to laugh a little bit. 

Cherish this as sacred writ, 

Laugh a little bit. 
Keep it with you, sample it. 

Laugh a little bit. 
Little ills will surely betide you. 
Fortune may not sit beside you. 
Men may knock and fame deride you, 
But you'll mind them not a whit 

If you laugh a little bit. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 105 



WHEN I GROW UP. 



I mean to be a president, 
And rule each rising State, 

And hold my levees once a week, 
For all the gay and great. 

I'll be a king except a crown — 
For that they won't allow — 

And I'll find out what the tariff is 
That puzzles me so now. 



WHEN I'M A MAN. 



When I'm a man I mean to buy 
A dozen plates of pumpkin pie ; 
A barrel of nuts, to have 'em handy. 
And fifty pounds of sugar candy. 



io6 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



WHACK! 



Aner, maner, moner, Mike, 
Bassalona, bona, strike ; 
Hare, ware, frown, nack, 
Harico, barico, wee, wo, 
Whack! 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 107 



WHEN PAPA'S SICK. 



When papa's sick, my goodness sakes ! 
Such awful, awful times it makes. 
He speaks in oh ! such lonesome tones, 
And gives such ghastly kinds of groans 
And rolls his eyes and holds his head. 
And makes ma help him up to bed ; 
While Sis and Bridget run to heat 
Hot water bags to warm his feet. 
And I must get the doctor quick — 
We have to jump when papa's sick. 

When papa's sick ma has to stand 

Right side the bed and hold his hand, 

While Sis she has to fan and fan. 

For he says he's "a dyin' man." 

And wants the children round him to 

Be there when "sufferin' pa gets through"; 

He says he wants to say good-by. 

And kiss us all and then he'll die ; 

Then moans and says his "breathin's thick"- 

It's awful sad when papa's sick. 

When papa's sick he acts that way 

Until he hears the doctor say, 



io8 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

"YouVe only got a cold, you know, 
You'll be all right 'n a day or so." 
And then — well, say ! you ought to see — 
He's different as he can be. 
And growls and scolds from noon to night 
Just 'cause his dinner ain't cooked right, 
And all he does is fuss and kick — 
We're all used up when papa's sick. 



THE FALLING STARS. 



A little boy was dreaming, 

Upon his nurse's lap, 

That pins fell out of all the stars, 

And the stars fell in his cap. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 109 



DON'T LEAVE US OUT. 



Here we are, don't leave us out, 
Just because we're little boys. 

Though we're not so bold and stout, 
In the world we'll make a noise. 

You are many a year ahead, 
But we'll step by step advance. 

All the world's before you spread; 
Give us little boys a chance. 



no SUNSHINE CHALLED 



"DON INTO PANTS." 



Dear Untie, I wites oo a letter, 

And I wants it wed to my Aunts, 
I've dot some news to tell oo ; 

I've dust been an' don into pants. 

I fints 'at I loots awfir jolly ; 

Too muts lite a little bid man. 
Mamma says it's a drate piece of folly. 

Papa laughs dust as hard as he tan. 

Mamma says : "Oh, oh, my baby is lost!" 
An 'tates on fwom mornin' til night; 

S'e fints I t'ould allwis wear dwesses, 
I s'pose ; but I touldn't — not twite ! 

I dave bofe my dollies away, 

An' ze barbers tut off my turls, 
You 'ud hardly now it was ME then, 

Who once was so muts like ze dirls. 

Helen Osborn. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED iii 



THE BABY'S LETTER. 



"I wish I could wite a letter!" 

Said the Baby, with a sigh. 
"But the pencil don't go wight a bit,— 

'Tain't any use to twy; 

"But — I know one sing, — 

I can make a 'one,' 'two,* *fee,'^ 
Would 'at be a letter, mamma? 

I should sink 'at it would be." 

"I should think so, dear," said mamma. 

So he made a "1, 2, 3"; 
"You see,'* he said, "I love Aunt Marie. 

And I want to write to she." 
And Aunt Marie wrote back to me: 

"The nicest letter I ever saw 

Was the Baby's % 2, 3'." 

Kate Upson Clark. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 



THE LITTLE BIRD. 



A little bird with feathers brown 

Sat singing on a tree — 
The song was very soft and low, 

But sweet as it could be. 

And all the people passing by 

Looked up to see the bird 
That made the sweetest melody 

That they had ever heard. 

But all the bright eyes looked in vain. 

For birdie was so small, 
And with a modest, dark-brown coat, 

He made no show at all. 

"Why, papa," little Gracie said, 

"Where can this birdie be? 
If I could sing a song like that, 

I'd sit where folks could see." 

"I hope my little girl will learn 

A lesson from that bird 
And try to do what good she can. 

Not to be seen or heard. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 113 

"This birdie is content to sit 

Unnoticed by the way, 
And sweetly sing his Maker's praise 

From dawn to close of day. 

"So live, my child, all through your life, 

That be it short or long, 
Though others may forget your looks. 

They'll not forget your song." 



A MAMMA'S LOVE. 



"Who ran to help me when I fell, 
And would some pretty story tell, 
Or kiss the place to make it well. 
My Mother." 



114 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



COMFORTING GRANDMA. 



Grandma sat in her old arm-chair, 

Our baby on her knee; 
Three-score-and-ten were grandma's years, 

Sweet Baby Bell's were three. 

The baby's tongue was chattering 

As fast as it could go, 
Of things she meant to have and do 

When older she should grow. 

**Ned says I's half-past free," she cried, 

And tossed her yellow curls, 
"An' when I's ten I'll be as bid 

As all ze dreat bid dirls!" 

Then grandma's eyes grew sad and dim: 

"Dear pet, when you are ten 
I'll be so old I scarce can walk. 

Oh, what will I do then?" 

O'er baby's face the shadow fell 

Of wondering, troubled thought; 
But soon she brightened, she had found 

The comfort that she sought: 

"Why, dram'ma, don't oo fink." she cried. 

With baby logic deep, 
"Zat when oo can't walk any more 

OoM better learn to creep?" 

Carrie Blake Morgan. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 115 

GRANDMA'S ANGEL. 



"Mamma said : 'Little one, go and see 
If grandmother's ready to come to tea/ 
I knew I mustn't disturb her, so 
I stepped as gently along, tiptoe, 
And stood a moment to take a peep— 
And there was grandmother fast asleep ! 

"I knew it was time for her to wake, 
I thought I'd give her a little shake, 
Or tap at her door, or softly call; 
But I hadn't the heart for that at all — 
She looked so sweet and so quiet there, 
Lying back in her high arm-chair, 
With her dear white hair, and a little smile. 
That means she is loving you all the while. 

"I didn't make a speck of a noise ; 
I knew that she was dreaming of the little boys 
And girls who lived with her so long ago 
And then went to heaven — she told me so. 

"I went up close, but I didn't speak 
One word, but I gave her on her cheek 
The softest bit of a little kiss, 
Just in a whisper, and then I said this: 
'Grandmother, dear, it's time for tea.* 



ii6 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

"She opened her eyes and lookea at me, 

And said: 'Why, Pet, I have just now dreamed 

Of a little angel who came and seemed 

To kiss me lovingly on my face.' 

She pointed right at the very place. 

"I never told her 'twas only me, 

I took her hand and we went to tea." 

St. Nicholas. 



MY WISH. 



Some people long for lots of gold, 

But not for gold sigh I; 
And some there be who firmly hold 

That fame they'd have or die ; 
But not for gold nor yet for place 
Ask I, but just the gentle grace 
To shut my hungry face 

In a piece of home-made pumpkin pie. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 117 



BETTER WHISTLE THAN WHINE. 



It is better to whistle than whine; 

It is better to laugh than to cry, 
For though it be cloudy, the sun will soon shine 

Across the blue, beautiful sky. 

It is better to whistle than whine, 

O man with the sorrowful brow. 
Let the words of the child scatter murmurs of thine 

And gather his cheerfulness now. 



ii8 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



THE CAREFUL MESSENGER. 



A pound of tea at one and three, 
And a pot of raspberry jam, 

Two new-laid eggs, a dozen pegs, 
And a pound of slices of ham. 

1*11 say it over all the way. 

And then I'm sure not to forget. 

For if I chance to bring things wrong, 
My mother gets in such a fret. 

A pound of tea at one and three. 
And a pot of raspberry jam, 

Two new-laid eggs, a dozen pegs. 
And a pound of slices of ham. 

There in the hay the children play — 
They're having such jolly fun, 

I'll go there, too, that's what I'll do 
As soon as my errands are done. 

A pound of tea at one and three, 
A pot of — or — new-laid jam, 

Two raspberry eggs, with a dozen pegs. 
And a pound of slices of ham. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 119 

There's Teddy White flying his kite; 

He thinks himself grand, I declare; 
I'd like to try to make it fly 
Ever so much higher 
Than the church spire. 
And then — but there — 

A pound of three and one at tea, 

A pot of new-laid jam, 
Two dozen eggs, some raspberry pegs, 
And a pound of slices of ham. 

Now here's the shop ; outside I stop. 

And run my orders through again ; 
I haven't forgot, no, ne'er a jot — 

It shows I'lh pretty cute, that's plain. 

A pound of three at one and tea, 

A dozen of raspberry ham, 
A pot of eggs, with a dozen pegs. 

And a slice of new-laid jam. 



I20 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

THE DEAD DOLL. 

You needn't be trying to comfort me — I tell you my dolly is 

dead! 
There's no use in saying she isn't, with a crack like that in her 

head; 
It's just like you said it wouldn't hurt much to have my tooth 

out, that day. 
And then, when the man 'most pulled my head off, you hadn't 

a word to say. 

And I guess you must think I'm a baby, when you say you can 

mend it with glue. 
As if I didn't know better than that ! Why, just suppose it was 

you? 
You might make her look all mended — but what do I care for 

looks? 
Why glue's for chairs and tables, and toys, and the backs of 

books ! 

My dolly! my own little daughter! Oh, but it's the awfullest 

crack ! 
It just makes me sick to think of the sound when her poor head 

went whack 
Against that horrible brass thing that holds up the little 

shelf, 
Now, Nursey, what makes you remind me? I know that I did 

it myself. 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 121 

I think you must be crazy — you'll get her another head ! 
What good would forty heads do her? I tell you my dolly is 

dead! 
And to think I hadn't quite finished her elegant new spring 

hat! 
And I took a sweet ribbon of her's last night to tie on that 

horrid cat ! 

When my mamma gave me that ribbon — I was playing out in 

the yard — 
She said to me, most expressly, "Here's a ribbon for Hilde- 

garde." 
And I went and put it on Tabby, and Hildegarde saw me 

do it; 
But I said to myself, "Oh, never mind, I don't believe she 

knew it !" 



But I know that she knew it now, and I just believe, I do. 
That her poor little heart was broken, and so her head broke 

too. 
Oh, my baby ! my little baby ! I wish my head had been hit ! 
For I've hit it over and over, and it hasn't cracked at bit. 

But since the darling is dead, she'll want to be buried, of 

course ; 
We will take my little wagon. Nurse, and you shall be the 

horse : 



122 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

And I'll walk behind and cry; and we'll put her in this, you 

see — 
This dear little box — and we'll bury her there out under the 

maple tree. 

And papa will make me a tombstone, like the one he made for 

my bird; 
And he'll put what I tell him on it — yes, every single word ! 
I shall say, "Here lies Hildegarde, a beautiful doll, who is 

dead; 
She died of a broken heart, and a dreadful crack in her head." 

Margaret Vandegrift. 



NAMING THE FORGET-ME-NOT. 



When to the flowers so beautiful 

The Father gave a name, 

Back came a little blue-eyed one; 

All timidly it came. 

And standing at its Father's feet, 

And gazing in His face. 

It said in low and trembling tones, 

**Dear God, the name Thou gavest me, 

Alas, I have forgot!" 

Kindly the Father looked Him down 

And said, "Forget-Me-Not." 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 123 



PAPA'S LETTER. 



"I was sitting in my study, 
Writing letters, when I heard, 

"Please, dear mamma, Mary told me 
Mamma mustn't be 'isturbed ; 

"But I's tired of the kitty. 
Want some ozzer fing to do! 

Witing letters is *ou, mamma? 
Tan't I wite a letter, too?" 

"Not now, darling, mamma's busy; 

Run and play with kitty, now." 
"No, no, mamma, me wite letter — 

Tan if 'ou will show me how." 

I would paint my darling's portrait 

As his sweet eyes searched my face- 
Hair of gold and eyes of azure, 
Form of childish, witching grace. 

But the eager face was clouded. 

As I slowly shook my head. 
Till I said, "I'll make a letter 

Of you, darling boy, instead." 

So I parted back the tresses 

From his forehead high and white. 

And a stamp in sport I pasted 
'Mid its waves of golden light. 



124 SUNSHINE CHALLED 

Then I said, "Now, little letter, 
Go away and bear good news." 

And I smiled as down the staircase 
Clattered loud the little shoes. 

Leaving me, the darling hurried 
Down to Mary in his glee: 

**Mamma's witing lots of letters; 
I's a letter, Mary — see?" 

No one heard the little prattler 
As once more he climbed the stair, 

Reached his little cap and tippet, 
Standing on the entry chair. 

No one heard the front door open, 
No one saw the golden hair 

As it floated o'er his shoulders 
In the crisp October air. 

Down the street the baby hastened 
Till he reached the office door. 

"I's a letter, Mr. Postman, 
Is there room for any more? 

*'Cause dis letter's doin' to papa: 
Papa lives with God, 'ou know. 

Mamma sent me for a letter, 
Does 'ou fink 'at I tan go?" 

But the clerk in wonder answered, 
"Not to-day, my little man." 

"Den I'll find anuzzer office, 
'Cause I must go if I tan." 



SUNSHINE CHALLED 125 



Fain the clerk would have detained him, 
But the pleading face was gone, 

And the little feet were hastening — 
By the busy crowd swept on. 

Suddenly the crowd was parted, 
People fled to left and right 

As a pair of maddened horses 
At the moment dashed in sight. 

No one saw the baby figure — 
No one saw the golden hair. 

Till a voice of frightened sweetness 
Rang out on the autumn air. 

'Twas too late — a moment only 
Stood the beauteous vision there. 

Then the little face lay lifeless, 
Covered o'er with golden hair. 

Reverently they raised my darling, 
Brushed away the curls of gold. 

Saw the stamp upon the forehead, 
Growing now so icy cold. 

Not a mark the face disfigured, 
Showing where a hoof had trod; 

But the little life was ended — 
"Papa's letter" was with God. 



126 SUNSHINE CHALLED 



PLAY YOU ARE SUNSHINE. 



You say youVe feeling blue, lad? 

That things are going wrong? 
If that's the case for true, lad, 

Cheer up and sing a song. 
You'll find 'twill always pay, lad. 

For all — for me and you 
To play we are the sunshine 

And let the sky be blue. 
When skies are blue and clear, lad. 

The world is at its best; 
Whene'er you drop a tear, lad. 

It saddens all the rest. 
Smile on — don't mind the knocks, lad. 

Just keep your own heart true — 
Play you're the golden sunshine 

And let the sky be blue. 
When you are feeling blue, lad, 

And half inclined to cry, 
You're at the job — 'tis true, lad — 

Intended for the sky. 
The sunshine role sits better 

On husky chaps like you — 
Then be a human sunbeam; 

Let but the sky be blue. 



ADVERTISEMENTS 



ANNO U N C EM EN T 



The Snow Publishing Company will make a 
specialt}' of publishing the following named books 
written by Ella Snow. 

Sunshine dialled. 

Joyce-Wilcox^ or Man's Inhumanity to Man, 
The Voice of Wisdom, 
The Travels of a Nickle and a Dime. 
Strange Happenings in Indiana and Missouri, 
Susan B. Anthonys Sovereignty. 
What I Ivnow About Genius. 

The first of these books, "Sunshine Challed" is 
issued as a Christmas edition for 1905; the others 
will be published from time to time, as our facilities 
permit. 

In addition to the above named publications, we 
will publish any extraordinary books for other Authors; 
but, will not do a miscellaneous book publishing 
business. 



THE SNOW PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Box 6ss, CHICAGO, ILL. 



JOYCE-WILCOX 



OR 



MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN 



BY ELLA SNOW 



A BOOK FOR THE MILLIONS 



The keynote of this book is based upon the controversy which has been pending for 
nearly a quarter of a century, between Colonel John Alexander Joyce and Mrs. Ella Wheeler 
Wilcox, over the authorship of the famous poem beginning, " Laugh and the world laughs 
with you." 

It settles this controversy by giving Colonel Joyce credit to the authorship of this poem: 
but it does more than this: It shows how difficult it may be. in the present stage of our 
civilization, for an honest public man to pass through life without being shamefully imposed 
upon, and how the less worthy are unjustly given high places. 



The first three chapters of this book are purely introductory. 

THE FIRST CHAPTER gives a concise sketch of the life of Colonel Joyce, one of the 
most honorable and at the same time, most shamefully imposed upon men that has ever 
lived in this country. Colonel Joyce is not only one of our greatest poets, but he is also one 
of our most noted Masonic philosophers. He has been a Master Mason in good standing for 
nearly forty years; and he has been a Knight Templar, in good standing for more than 
thirty-five years, and has been Captain General of the order. 

THE SECOND CHAPTER gives probably the first full account ever written of the life of 
Mrs. Wilcox, and it relates how her fame as a poet started from the date on which a book 
publishing firm refused to publish such of her immoral poems as '^Ad Pinim,'" '"Delilah;' 
'Communism;'' and ^'Conversion,'' which are still published in her "'Poems of Passion," 
and which are placed on the restricted list by the Astor Library, of New York city, and 
perhaps by many others. This chapter relates how Mrs. Wilcox has become a veritable 
' priestess" of a large following of persons who have been deceived by her sophistry, which 
they have mistaken for philosophy. It also explains how her writings have possibly been the 
cause of more evil than have the writings of any other American author. 

THE THIRD CHAPTER is devoted entirely to the evil status of our present day 
National Civilization. 

Then, following these three introductory chapters, the subjects of this book are attended 
to by a Platonic Dialogue, in which an eminent Masonic philosopher and a noted American 
journalist take parts in a general discourse. 

The first contract for the publishing of this book will call for half a million copies, to be 
printed during the first five years. 

A thousand copies will be distributed among the public prints as soon as convenient 
after the bookis issued, which will be early in the year 1906. 

The retail price for the regular edition of this book will be one dollar, net: but a special 
autograph edition of one thousand copies will be sold for two dollars per copy. 



THE SNOW PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

p. O. Box 655. CHICAGO, ILL. 



THE LAST DAYS OF 
OUR REPUBLIC 

A Vivid Forecast of the Early Downfall of Our 
Government 



By TWAIN HEART 



Twain Heart, the author of this book, is a sovereigrn grenius, and his writingrs are even 
more forceful than those of Carlyle, whose writingrs are read more to-day than those of any 
other dead author. 
Twain Heart says: 

**c^ human influence can no'OJ arise xoith safficient potver to prefbenf a continaons 
degeneration of our people; and no body of men can be organized 'who could possibly 
dfbert the fast approaching disaster 'aifiich is sure to destroy oar "i^public, and establish 
in its stead a limited cMonarcby, which xuill ultimately become a cruel^ barbarous, 
sectarian, despotic government. " 
From this bold statement it will be seen that Mr. Heart does not offer a remedy, but. in 
effect, says, "There is no remedy." 

Many other writers, who now predict the coming crisis, offer certain remedies, which 
they believe migrht avert disaster to our Republic, but when these writers read the incontro- 
vertible argruments of Mr. Heart on this subject, they will doubtless agree with him that, as 
he says, "the waifs of this Republic are now crumbling, and no architect could, with 
any amount of money, prevent the total collapse of the once magnificent structure." 



This great book is entirely too personal, too honestly outspoken, and too far reaching in 
its prophetic discernments to become popular among the masses of our people. It will be 
prized only by those comparatively few discerning persons who stand aloof from every phase 
of pernicious political, religious and social entanglement. 

At some future period of the world's history, however, this book will be considered a 
valuable and very trustworthy authority on subjects relating to the causes of the downfall of 
our Republic. 

As the author of this book is still at work on some important features of the work to be 
discussed in its closing chapters, the book will not be published before November, 1906, at 
which time only a limited autograph edition of one thousand copies will be offered to the 
public. 

This autograph edition will consist of at least three hundred pages. 5K x9 inches in size, 
and will be bound in cloth. 

It will be disposed of at the uniform price of $2.00 per copy: and then, some months 
later, a new edition will be published, in which opinions of some of our best writers will be 
published as an appendix, tc comprise fifty pages more. 



THE SNOW PUBLISHING COMPANY 

p. O. Box 655. CHICAGO, ILL, 



C 1 



DEC 16 1905 









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